Vilnius Diaries

Sunday, October 2, 2016

On this date
(October 2) 25 years ago, George H. Bush was the President of the United
States, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch were sending out “Good Vibrations”
across American airways, and Darryl N. Johnson opened the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius.

The first U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania, Darryl N. Johnson, 1992

The United States has long enjoyed a
close friendship with Lithuania, dating back to July 28, 1922, when the U.S.
established diplomatic relations with Lithuania. The opening of the Embassy in Vilnius in 1991
marks the beginning of an important chapter in that story.

Between 1922
and 1940, the U.S. Government maintained its diplomatic presence in Kaunas,
Lithuania’s interwar capital. In total,
eleven U.S. consuls served at the American Legation in Kaunas until the USSR
occupied and annexed Lithuania, as well as Estonia and Latvia.

America’s
steadfast refusal to recognize the forced incorporation of Lithuania into the
Soviet Union continued for 51 years. During
this period, the U.S. Government permitted Lithuanian representatives
accredited by the last independent government to remain in the United States
with diplomatic status.

As Vice President Joe Biden told the
peoples of the Baltics when he visited Riga in August 2016, “Even when your
nation’s flags could not fly here in Riga, even when they could not fly in
Vilnius, even they could not fly in Tallinn, they waved proudly in Washington,
D.C. ”

Vice President Joe Biden’s address to the peoples of the Baltics in Riga, Latvia, August 2016

The U.S. Government
was proud to recognize the restoration of Lithuania’s independence on September
2, 1991, in an announcement by President George H.W. Bush.

“The Baltic
peoples of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and their democratically elected
governments have declared their independence and are moving now to control
their own national territories and their own destinies,” said President Bush at
a news conference in Kennebunkport, Maine. “The United States has always supported the independence of the Baltic
States and is now prepared immediately to establish diplomatic relations with
their governments. The United States is also prepared to do whatever it can to
assist in the completion of the current process of making Baltic independence a
factual reality.”

Four days
later, on September 6, the United States and Lithuania resumed normal
diplomatic relations when U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Curtis
Kamman and the Lithuanian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Valdemaras
Katkus, signed a memorandum of understanding concerning diplomatic relations.

One month
from the date of President Bush’s announcement, on October 2, the U.S. Embassy
in Vilnius opened. The ribbon-cutting
was led by Vice-President Dan Quayle and Darryl Johnson, Chargé d'Affaires ad
interim, who soon became the first U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania.

In the 25
years since, our shared democratic values and commitment to addressing today’s
global challenges have strengthened our countries’ strategic relationship. Since
1992, the U.S. Embassy has worked diligently to deepen the connections and
cultural ties between our two countries.
More than 1,000 Lithuanians have visited the United States on U.S.
Government-funded exchanges and returned home to help strengthen a growing and
developing Lithuania. Many others have
traveled on private exchanges, studied at U.S. universities, developed business
relationships, or visited friends and family in the U.S.

Since
re-establishing its independence, Lithuania has taken on increasingly prominent
roles in transatlantic and global institutions to meet these challenges – roles
that many would be unable to predict just 26 years ago.

In total,
six Secretaries of State have visited Lithuania and in 2002, President George
W. Bush visited Vilnius. “Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an
enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America,'' President Bush
told a crowd in front of City Hall. ''In the face of aggression, the brave
people of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will never stand alone again.''

The U.S.
Embassy in Vilnius has vigorously supported the U.S.- Lithuania relationship
for the past 25 years, under the leadership of 13 different Ambassadors, and
looks forward to continuing this support for many years to come.

Vice-President Dan Quayle arrives in Vilnius, Lithuania in February 1992

Today, members of the Embassy's Information Resource Management and Political/Economic Sections write about their recent visit to Prienai.

Aerial
Shot of Prienai

Information Resource Management Specialist Ken Neijstrom, Political and Economic Section Assistant Sam Schmitt and IRM representative Gytis Keras recently visited Prienai, a small rural community that saw strong growth in tourism last year. According to an article in 15min.lt in March, tourism in Prienai in 2015 was up 108.4 percent from the previous year – marking it the largest growth rate in tourism in Lithuania last year.

As part of the Ambassador’s Regional Outreach Program, the delegation chose Prienai with an eye toward technology-based economic development. Accordingly, the delegation met with city officials to discuss current events, new applications of technology like 3D printing and online education.

Journey from Vilnius to Prienai

Embassy
Delegation Meets Municipal Team

Among the delegation’s stops was a meeting with Prienai Mayor Alvydas Vaicekauskas and his assistant Agnė Dargužienė, who accompanied the group to “Sportinė Aviacia ir Ko” a glider factory that exports to the United States, and is located near the local airfield. The company’s director Vytautas Maciulis explained the manufacturing process and described the culture of glider enthusiasts. The delegation was happy to be invited to May’s national glider championships and the European gliding championships later in the summer.

Tour
of the Sportinė Aviacija ir Ko Glider Factory

Mayor Vaicekauskas spoke about his desire to see tourism to his town increase by another 100 percent this year. He also discussed the city’s bike path, local basketball team and hopes for a new resort in a nearby town. The delegation proposed bringing more technology resources, such as online learning, to help boost residents’ technical skills.

Today, members of the Embassy’s Political and Economic Section write about their March 9th visit to Ukmerge.

Ambassador McCarthy’s Regional Outreach Program ensures U.S. diplomats serving in Lithuania get to know far more about Lithuania than just its capital city, Vilnius. Recently, we -- Political Officer Jonathan Herzog, Political/Economic Specialist Giedra Gureviciute-Demereckiene, and intern Jacob Keller -- traveled to Ukmerge to meet city officials and students, and also to tour an orphanage and child day care center. We had heard a lot about the municipality’s education and investment programs, and went to discover more about the region and why its students performed above average on their testing.

Mayor Rolandas Janickas and his team spoke with us about Ukmerge’s history, its foreign investments and social and economic issues. Next, we visited Siesiku Children’s Group Home and Siesiku School. We discussed with the school’s director, Vaidotas Kalinas, the municipality’s program to reorganize the region’s larger orphanages into smaller ones to provide for a better learning environment. Afterwards, we met with high school students and discussed the relationship and differences between the United States and Lithuania. Many students told us this was the first time they’d met an American. We were very impressed by the students’ English skills.

After returning to Ukmerge, we visited a local child day care center. Lastly, the Mayor hosted a delicious lunch at the oldest restaurant in Ukmerge during which we discussed the region’s interesting history, most notably, that Ukmerge emerged earlier than Vilnius as an ancient capital town.

Recently, Regional Security Officer Bill Embry and Pol/Econ Assistant Sam Schmitt visited Varena, as part of Ambassador McCarthy’s Regional Outreach Program, aimed at ensuring U.S. diplomats get to know far more about Lithuania than just its capital city, Vilnius; share information about the United States in the regions; and explore areas for potential cooperation.

We wanted to see Varena, the community famous for its fall-time Mushroom Festival. So, in December, we got a chance to meet Varena Mayor Algis Kaseta and his municipal team to talk about an important topic - emergency services and preparedness. We also discussed smuggling issues, immigration, crime trends, and the local economy with the Mayor, Vice Mayor, Police Chief, Border Guard, and Captain of the local National Guard.

RSO Embry meets the Varena Municipal Team

Fire Chief Andrius Kandratavicius offered us a tour of the local fire house, where teams of four firefighters staff the facility, and four fire trucks are at the ready to be deployed.

RSO Embry meets Varena Fire Chief Kandrataviciusand and reminisces about
his days as a volunteer EMS working with the fire department

We also visited the annual Folk Art Fair, where we relished local artisans’ wares. We hope to return in the spring.

Cultural Assistant Jurate Kirvaitiene explores one of the American cultural programs the U.S. Embassy recently supported with a small grant.

Recently, appreciative audiences in Vilnius enjoyed a rare musical gift – a chance to hear the exquisite sound of an American Grammy Award-winning, premier instrumental ensemble, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. The quartet made its first ever visit to Lithuania at the invitation and organization of the Baltic Guitar Quartet, an international group of guitar music talents, who drew inspiration from their American peers. The U.S. Embassy was happy to award a small grant to help bring the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet to Vilnius.

On December 15, the great hall of the National Philharmonic attracted a full house of 500 patrons, who delighted in the performance by the American guitar virtuosi, popularly known as “LAGQ.” The program presented by the charismatic and distinctive musicians transported music lovers on a magical journey through a myriad of genres and concert masterworks. It was a tapestry of the sublime: from a modern interpretation of the music of the Renaissance to the other-worldly sound of contemporary “Transcendental Suite” by Tilman Hoppstock to a buoyant rendition of a Spanish play arranged by the grand master Pepe Romero. The American guitarists also won the hearts of the audience with a perfect Lithuanian address.

LA Guitar Quartet at National Philharmonic in Vilnius (Photo: Delfi)

Earlier that day, the Quartet also shared its mastery with Lithuanian guitar students, music teachers and journalists at the Philharmonic’s small hall. Chris Ruebens, a member of the Baltic Guitar Quartet, interviewed the four American guests – who have performed together for more than three decades in venues from Chicago’s Orchestra Hall to Tokyo’s Opera City and London’s Wigmore Hall to New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

The story of the group’s creative genesis proved to be as inspiring and enchanting as its music.

(L to R: John Dearman, Chris Ruebens of the Baltic Guitar Quartet, William Kanengiser and Matthew Greif)

Today, members of the Embassy’s Political and Economic Section write about a recent visit to Alytus

Districts of Lithuania

Alytus District

Ambassador McCarthy’s Regional Outreach Program ensures U.S. diplomats serving in Lithuania get to know far more about Lithuania than just its capital city, Vilnius. Recently, we -- Political Officer Jillian Schmitt along with Political/Economic Section secretary Sam Schmitt and intern Indre Zebrauskaite -- traveled to Alytus to meet city officials, talk environmental policy and tour the regional waste management plant and the Alita brewing facilities.

We visited the Alytus Regional Waste Management Center (ARWMC), which is where the rubber meets the road with respect to sustainable solid waste processing. ARWMC receives and processes solid waste from the city of 57,000 residents and six surrounding districts, including Birstonas, Druskininkai and Varena. These facilities are so advanced they biodegrade organic material to produce enough methane to power the entire operation. The city is also encouraging residents to sort their garbage at home, compost and recycle.

First Step in Processing Waste at the Plant

Waste that cannot be separated, recycled,

or biodegraded is compressed by the

Garbage “Cuber”

We also learned how Alytus - with the help of EU funding - was able to clean and restore the Dailide lakes and White Rose parks, which had been hazardous waste dumps during Soviet times.

The day also included a sweeter-smelling visit to the Alita Brewing Company where we saw some of the inner workings of an economic engine for the region and learned about the company’s fermentation, importing and bottling processes. Alita brews and bottles a wide range of alcoholic drinks from sparkling wine to moonshine. The company also imports brandy and cognac from France.

Alita Tour Guide Explains the Difference between Brandy and Cognac

This trip provided a unique opportunity to observe environmental protection in practice. The Mayor’s Office and Embassy delegation hope for a follow-up visit in the spring.

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